In a statement, police confirmed operations were suspended for safety reasons.

The force said: "Sussex Police is supporting the airport and is proactively deploying significant resources to seek and locate the drone and its operator and to ensure the safety of the travelling public and all those in and around the airport."

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Media captionTom Symonds reports on the measures police appear to be taking to catch the Gatwick drone

'Very disruptive'

Passengers have hit out at the people behind the disruption.

One woman, called Poppy Smithers, hoping to fly to Doha and then Auckland, said it was "very disruptive, kind of selfish".

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Airport chiefs said 120,000 people due to arrive or fly had not been able to travel since Wednesday

Newlywed Emily Pointer had just arrived at the airport to go on honeymoon in Argentina. She and her husband Charlie Woodall had expected to fly out at 21:30.

"It's a little bit heartbreaking, really, because we've been looking forward to this for a long time," she told BBC Radio 5 live.